


The Good Sort of Strange

by gusty



Category: Ponyo (2008)
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-20
Updated: 2009-12-20
Packaged: 2017-10-04 18:49:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gusty/pseuds/gusty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ponyo, now all grown up, notices changes in the sea and wonders if she's to blame.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Good Sort of Strange

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Renata Lord (snowlight)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowlight/gifts).



    It seemed only right to stay in the little house on the cliff. Even though the world around it changed and grew it remained mostly the same; a light guiding ships through the darkness. There were of course a few small changes, like the year it needed to be repainted. Ponyo had decided the only color it could possibly be was a bright eye-searing red. Sousuke and Lisa had thankfully, with a little sly coaxing, gotten her to settle for a more subdued shade of blue. In spite of many years in the human world, Ponyo was still the same curious and happy-go-lucky girl she'd been when she first changed from a goldfish. She still had a special love of ham (although she had learned to consume it a tad less ravenously), and she still got a twinge jealous when other girls showed an interest in Sousuke. It certainly had made the years interesting, to say the least.

  
  


    Around the time Sousuke was entering young adulthood, his parents decided to make up for years of little time spent together by traveling to as many far off places as they could dream up. That is to say, that _Lisa _could dream up. Koichi was more than happy to let her be in charge of the planning, as he'd learned long ago the trips just seemed to go smoother that way. This meant that it would be just Sousuke and Ponyo at the house for three weeks.

    Things when pretty much as expected during the first week. Sousuke took great strides to be the responsible one, as he'd come to be over the years, while Ponyo kept trying to get him to have more fun. When he wanted to spend the day tidying up the living room (which was in dire need of it), Ponyo would convince him they should ride out to town and see a funny movie. When he wanted to go out grocery shopping, Ponyo got him to go out for fast food instead. If he wanted to sit down and study for an upcoming exam, she'd decide it was the perfect time to snuggle. It was a great mystery to Sousuke how she was able to talk him into absolutely anything with just one mischevious smile. It was an even greater mystery to realize he didn't mind being beguiled in this way.

    One day near the beginning of the second week he was preparing lunch, expecting her to come running as soon as she heard the sounds of the stove being turned on and the water boiling in the pot atop it. Meal times were one of Ponyo's favorite events of the day, and for her to be late to one was a rare and confusing phenomena. Once the soup was done curiosity got the best of him and he left the kitchen to search for her.

    He found her out on the beach. That was not in itself unusual. Even though she was fully human now, Ponyo enjoyed a good swim at least once a day when the weather was favorable. This time however, she wasn't splashing playfully in the shallows or scuba diving further out as she usually was. Instead she was standing at the edge of the water, the tide washing in around her bare feet as the slight breeze from the sea tossed her hair around. There was something in her expression that bothered Sousuke. He stood on the steps that lead down from the house, unsure if he should press forward or give her some privacy. This was not usually a problem that came up with bouncy, sociable Ponyo.

    Eventually he came to a decision, carefully approaching her and quietly addressing her so as not to cause fright.

    "Ponyo? Are you OK?"

    At first she seemed not to hear him, but after a few seconds she pulled herself from her trance and gave him a confused look.

    "Ah, Sousuke! Is it lunchtime already?"

    Sousuke's worry dissipated slightly. She certainly was acting the same as always.

    "I was just a little worried," he said with a teasing smile, "It's not like you to be late for lunch."

    She seemed a bit embarrassed by his words, which was also highly unusual. Ponyo wasn't the sort to get embarrassed. Normally if she did something foolish she'd embrace it as if it was what she'd meant to do all along. In fact, she was usually so enthusiastic about whatever it was that it was hard to tell if she was acting or truly believed it.

    "I was... just watching the ocean," she replied hesitantly, "Have you noticed there haven't been as many fish around here lately?"

    Sousuke shook his head, "I've been so busy, I haven't paid much attention... do you really think so?"

    Her reply was slow in coming as she bit her bottom lip and sunk to her knees on the sand, inspecting the water closely.

    "Nnh. When I go out swimming, the schools seem much smaller."

    Sousuke knelt down beside her awkwardly, searching his mind for the right response. Even if she was trying to hold back, he could tell that Ponyo was truly distraught. They both remained silent for quite awhile before he opened his mouth to say something, only to have her cut him off with words that cut right through him.

    "Do you think it's somehow my fault?"

    To say that Sousuke was taken aback by the intensity of her question was a gross understatement. His eyes widened in disbelief as he scrambled to find something of comfort to say.

    "What? No! Of course not! Maybe this year just wasn't a fruitful breeding season! I'm sure that next year--"  
    "Maybe if I hadn't left the ocean... I mean my father was always going on about humans and their destruction. Do you think maybe, because of me he had to give up? He wanted sea life to take over the world... but it seems like it's doing worse. That the humans are taking over completely. I mean... I didn't want humans to be destroyed either, but I didn't want all of the life in the ocean to die out either."

    To be truthful, Sousuke hadn't thought of Fujimoto in a very long time. Granted, the man wasn't an easy one to forget, but he hadn't seen him since the day Ponyo had become human. He'd been a fearsome sight, especially for a young boy. Years of maturing and learning about the world had helped Sousuke see Ponyo's father in a new light, however. It was with this view in mind that he addressed Ponyo's worry, reaching forward to gently take her hand in his.

    "Ponyo... please don't say things like that. What humans do to the world has nothing to do with your decision. Your father loved the sea, that's true... but I think he loved you much more. He may not have always been so good at showing it, but he wanted you to be happy. That's how good parents are."

    She looked away from him, trying to hide the fact that her face was beginning to scrunch up as she fought back tears. His hand squeezed tighter around hers as he continued.

    "The truth is, your decision led to life being better for me... for _all_ of us. For one thing, we became closer as a family. It was almost as if we were missing something and when you came along and then... we were really whole, y'know?"

    The words made her feel strange. It wasn't the bad sort of strange by any means. It was that warm, tingly sort of strange that spread all over and smothered the sadness she'd been feeling until there was only a speck of it remaining. She'd never had someone make her feel so important before. Even though the tears she'd fought not to cry were rolling hotly down her cheeks, she couldn't help but look over at him.

    "Sousuke that's... that's so wonderful."

    "It's true," he smiled as he leaned in to press his nose against hers, "You're the best thing that ever happened to us, Ponyo... to me. I don't want to think of a life without you. It'd be like..."  
    "An old man without wrinkles? A Kindergarten photograph without a little boy picking his nose? A bowl of ramen without ham?"

    The look on her face was so sincere he couldn't stifle the giggles that escaped his throat. Even with tears in her eyes, she was still the same girl -- the same woman -- he'd always known. No matter how serious conversations became, she just couldn't hinder her natural character.

    He was caught totally off-guard when she kissed him.

    It wasn't like the playfully innocent kisses she'd given when they were younger. This was a kiss that a girlfriend gave a boyfriend, and even though he was far past the awkwardness of adolescence Sousuke couldn't control the blush that took over his face. When it ended she seemed awfully pleased with herself, smiling an impish grin and wiping away what was left of the short-lived tears.

    "You said lunch was ready, didn't you?"

    "Uhm... uh... y-yeah... uh... let's go!"

    But by the time Sousuke managed to find his words again, she was already near the top of the stairs with her hands on her hips, "Come on Sousuke! If you think I'm going to have pity on you and save you some, you've got another thing coming!"

The End

  



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